Former cricketer Madan Lal expressed his happiness over the participation of Indian cricket stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the second phase of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season. Madan Lal said playing domestic cricket allows players to stay connected to the tournament that shaped their careers.
Rohit Sharma is set to return to domestic cricket after almost a decade. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has included him in the squad for their match against Jammu & Kashmir, starting on Thursday, January 23. This is Rohit Sharma’s first Ranji Trophy appearance since the 2015-16 season.
Virat Kohli is set to play for Delhi in their upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Railways, as confirmed by sources in the Delhi and District Cricket Association. Kohli’s last Ranji Trophy appearance was in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh, where he recorded scores of 14 and 42 runs in two innings.
I am so happy that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play first class – Madan Lal
Speaking to ANI, Madan Lal said that the presence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will help young cricketers, who can learn from the experience and guidance of experienced players, to become great players in the future.
“I am so happy that all these players will play first class. You have to play games in the tournament that made you a player. You should play home games whenever you have the chance, because young players can learn from you. Maybe one day in the future these players will become great players …,” Madan Lal told ANI.
If Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant play, Delhi has a chance to win – Madan Lal
The cricketer-turned-expert said the presence of players like Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant could boost Delhi’s chances of qualifying for the knockout stage of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy. Lal noted that players often avoided home games, unlike in his era.
“The morale of the team also increases a lot when players like Kohli and Rohit play. If the team is fighting for qualification like Delhi. If Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant play then they have a chance to win. So this was a very important step…this is the rule existed before, but they did not avoid it in first-class matches,” he added.
The BCCI is adopting a stricter stance on the participation of Indian international stars in domestic cricket
Rohit Sharma’s return to first-class cricket has fueled discussions about his future in Test cricket. The 37-year-old batsman remains committed to playing in the longest format, even after being dropped from the Indian XI for the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He scored just 31 runs in five innings.
Under his leadership, the Indian cricket team also suffered a 3-0 defeat against New Zealand. However, after India lost 3-1 to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India adopted a stricter stance on the inclusion of international players in domestic cricket.
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